Round Mountain Iron Furnace

Round Mountain Iron Furnace. . , (side 1) , Put into blast by noted Southern ironmaster Moses Stroup in 1852, the Round Mountain Furnace was the fourth oldest blast furnace in Alabama. It was the first furnace to make use of red fossiliferous iron ore., Driven by steam power, it was an important source of Confederate iron during the Civil War for the Noble Brothers Foundry in Rome, Georgia and the C.S. Naval Gun Foundry at Selma, Alabama. During the war it was leased by the firm of Daugdrill and Creigher., Twice attacked by federal troops led by Col. Abel D. Steight in 1863 and Maj. Gen. Francis B. Blair in 1864, it was rebuilt and enlarged in 1874 and 1888. The plant was permanently closed in December, 1906. (Continued on other side). (side 2) (Continued from other side). Construction of the Round Mountain Furnace began in 1849 at the site of the Milner Forge directly downhill. Moses Stroup and Wilson Nesbitt incorporated the Alabama Mining and Manufacturing Co. a year later. In its first year it produced 2½ tons of iron for kettles, skillets and foundry products. Employing 45 workers, the ore was taken from the side of the mountain., The plant was sold to Samuel P.S. Marshall in 1855 and a few years later to J.M. Elliott. Badly damaged during the Civil War, it was rebuilt in 1874 and 1888 reaching peak production of 6,500 tons per year when much of its iron was used for railroad car wheels.